Labeling method



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P. GROSSMAN LABELING METHOD Filed Feb. 17, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l oRrLANmoRE.

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1N VENTOR. l. @oss/ww ATTORNEY.

P. GROSSMAN Feb. 2l, 1939.

LABELI NG METHOD Filed Feb. 17, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ed. G Gre en rl. Crank 5r. ov, N-Y.

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v INVENTOR. 1i l?! 2, RosS/nm/ ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 21, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to a method of providing a multitude of articles, such as e. g., letters, postcards, printed matter, magazines and packages with labels of substantially equal size and con- 5 figuration, but presenting dilferent contents, such as diierent addresses.

It is an object of the invention to improve the legibili'ty and appearance of labels of the kind referred to, pasted or otherwise fastened to the l0 article. Labels, particularly addresses made in the way heretofore known, by means of multigraphing machines, have been of Varying and often poor legibility.

It is another object of the invention to reduce the cost of labeling the articles, although their legibility and appearance is improved. Heretofore, labels to be pasted or otherwise fastened onto articles have been made mostly by means of plates on which the different addresses had to be impressed and the impression inked, wherefrom prints have been made which differed as to sharpness and legibility. If the addresses changed, entirely new plates were to be made. The present invention eliminates such plates and other relatively high expenses.

It is a further object of the invention to increase the efliciency of a labeling process. The number of labels, in particular addresses to be made in a time unit, according to known processes, is relatively small. With the present invention, a multiple of the number of labels being equally legible can be made within the same time unit as it was possible heretofore.

Still a further object of the invention is to increase the efficiency and to reduce the cost of attaching the finished labels to the individual articles. y

These and other objects of the invention will be more clearly understood when this specication proceeds with reference to the drawings in which some features of the invention are shown in a more diagrammatical way. Fig. 1 shows, on a smaller scale, an article provided with a label in accordance with the present invention, whereby it is assumed by way of example, that a letter is to be provided with an address. Fig. 2 shows a prepared sheet and Fig. 3 a section therethrough along the lines III-III in Fig. 2, Fig. 4 a print plate, Fig. 5 a sheet according to Fig. 2, but provided with prints, Fig. 6 a modied sheet, provided with a particular type of weakened lines of perforations, Fig. 'l shows perspectively, e. g., the connection of two cut strips; Fig. 8 shows another sheet to be used with the present invention,

and Fig. 9 a side View thereof, Fig. 10 shows perspectively the connections of a plurality of printed sheets into a longer combined sheet; Fig. 11 shows such combined sheets bent in zigzag to form a stack ready for cutting, and Fig. 12 shows schematically the principle of an apparatus adapt- 5 ed to detach an individual label from a combined strip and to aflix it to an article.

It is to be understood that the invention is by no means limited tothe showings and details of the drawings.

In Fig. 1, an article I0 of any type, in particular the one referred to above, is shown diagrammati- `cally onto whicha label I I of rectangular size has to be fastened, in particular pasted. That label is supposed to contain the residence of the addressee, that address being schematically shown by a number of lines I2.

According to the present invention, these labels are prepared in the following way.'

A sheet of paper I3, Fig. 2, of rectangular size 20 is taken which is provided with a cement or glue I4 on its lower side (Fig. 3). This sheet is weakened, in particular perforated, along equi-distant lines I5, running parallel to one side I 6 of the sheet I3. The distances between the lines I5 25 inter se and of the upper `line I5 from the edge I6 are equal, whereas the distance between the lower line I5 and the edge I'I of the sheet is shorter. These equal distances correspond to one dimension of the rectangular label to be made, viz. to the shorter side thereof.

In a printing machine of any desired type, e. g. in a printing press, a type of printing is prepared as shown in Fig. 4. The different contents shown are arranged in juxtaposed rows running 35 vertically in parallel to the longer side of the rectangularly shaped plate, such rows being represented in Fig. 4 at I8, I9, 20 and 2I respectively. 'Ihe number of label contents I8 etc. arranged in juxtaposition in each vertical row correspond to the spaces of equal breadth left between the edge I 6 and the weakened line I5, and between the latter lines respectively. It is understood that the label contents I8 will be different inter 45 se and so will be the label contents I9 etc. Taking fteen horizontal columns given between the edge I6 and the weakened lines I5, furthermore the four vertical rows I8 to 2|, it appears that in this exemplication sixty diiferent label con- 50 tents or addresses are set in one plate. However, there can be set a large multiple of such label contents in a press, and the invention is in no way limited to any such denite number, larger or smaller, of label contents or addresses to be 55 printed on a single sheet in one stroke or cycle of operation of the printing machine.

The horizontal columns formed by the label contents I8, I9, etc. are of a height corresponding to the one of the horizontal columns formed on the sheet I3 by the weakened lines I5. Consequently, when printing the sheet I3 by means of the plate 24 of Fig. 4, the former will obtain the appearance of Fig. 5 in which the sheet I3 with weakened lines I5 etc. is unchanged but shows, between those lines, the printed contents I8 to2 I in four vertical rows `and fteen horizontal columns, the juxtaposed columns being separated from each other by the weakened lines I5. Obviously, in this example, a longer side of the rectangular label runs parallel to the horizontal edge I6 of the sheet I3, whereas the smaller side of the rectangular label runs parallel to the vertical edge of the sheet. It is obvious that the labels could be arranged turned by 90, so that their smaller sides lie parallel to the horizontal edge of the sheet and their longer sides parallel to the vertical side of the sheet. There could also be used square-shaped labels, and those conned by undulating lines 25 as shown in Fig. 6, these lines being readily obtainable by perforating the sheet I3 along such undulating lines.

As is to be seen from Figures 2 and 5, there remains a small portion 26 on the lower side of the sheet I3 which is not printed.

The sheet I3 is now cut into strips parallel to the longer or vertical side of the sheet I3 between the juxtaposed rows I8, I9, etc. of label contents along the lines 2l in a direction vertical to that of the weakened lines I5, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Thereby strips are obtained, each strip comprising a number of printed contents I 8 or I9, or 20, etc., in juxtaposition, the different contents I8 on the upper strip being separated from each other by a portion of the perforated lines I5, and so the different juxtaposed contents I9 of the next strip are separated from each other by other portions of the weakened lines I5, etc. Each such strip retained a part of the portion 26, Fig. 2, the portion forming a protruding end .rm not showing any print.

The strips thus cut from sheet I3 are now connected together in series, as is shown for two strips in Fig. 7. There the strip 29 showing the different contents I8 is, e. g., connected with the next strip 39 presenting the different contents I9 by attaching, in particular pasting, the protruding end 28 of the strip 29 to the lower side on the left end of the strip 30. This can easily be done, because the lower side of the strip 30 is provided with cement, in particular glue. Nevertheless, the left end of the strip 30 can be completely pasted onto an article, because the lower side of the protruding end 28 is also provided with glue. In the same way, the strip 30 can be connected with a following one at the right side by means of the protruding end 28 to be pasted again to the lower side of the following strip. Thus any desired number of strips cut from the same or different sheets can be connected together into one single longer combined strip. Instead of taking a sheet as shown in Fig. 2, provided with weakened lines I 5, and then printing the label contents upon the sheet into the columns formed by these lines, one may take a sheet 3| without perforations as shown in Fig. 8, and print upon that sheet the label contents I8, I9, etc. by means of a type plate as shown, e. g., in Fig. 4, and thereafter the sheet may be provided with weakening lines so as to give a printed sheet with weakened lines be- Vperforated lines.

tween the label contents, identical with that shown in Fig. 5. The sheet thus prepared will then be cut in vertical direction 21, as explained with reference to Fig. 5, to give strips which are then connected in the way described above with reference to Fig. '7.

Instead of taking a sheet which is provided with cement, such as glue or another adhesive, on the lower side, as is shown above with reference to Fig. 3, the sheet SI, Fig. 8, may be blank on its lower side as it is shown in the cross-section of Fig. 9, and the adhesive applied later on when the combined strip is subdivided into the individual labels. Then, the adhesive may be applied to the lower side of the combined strip when it is fed to the separating and labeling apparatus, or the labels may even be provided with the adhesive after they are individually detached from that strip in a way to be described later on.

Instead of cutting the printed sheet prepared in either of the ways described above into strips and to connect the strips with one another, it is preferable for mass production to proceed in such a way that printed sheets provided with weakened lines between the juxtaposed printed label contents are connected to form a long combined sheet before the vertical rows of label contents are cut. To this end a plurality of sheets I3 (or 3l) provided with the printed-on label contents I 3 etc. and preferably provided with glue on their lower side, are connected by means of the protruding ends 26, as is shown in Fig. 10, each such end of a foregoing sheet being attached to the lower side of the next following sheet, in the same way as described with reference to Fig. 7 for the single strips. The long combined sheet thus obtained may then be cut along the lines 32 in a direction vertical to the weakened lines I5 and parallel to the long side of the combined sheet thus Vformed, so that a number of coherent strips are obtained corresponding to the number of horizontal rows of label contents, and these combined strips are now connected in a still longer strip in the way as described above for the connection of single strips with reference to Fig. '7. It is obvious that by the method just described the manipulation for forming the desired long combined strip is simplified. Taking ten sheets and each comprising four vertical rows of label contents, with the method first described there are connected forty strips, and thirty-nine manipulations are necessary, whereas according to the last described method ten sheets are to be connected and thereafter four strips which necessitates only twelve manipulations.

Reverting to the cutting of the sheets, either single or combined, this can be done by hand, or by means of well-known cutting machines using either rocking or rotating knife blades. 'I'he latter cutting mechanism is preferably used if a long combined sheet according to Fig. 10 is to be cut. All the cuts can be made simultaneously. One may also proceed in such a manner that the combined sheet 34 is folded in zigzag into a stack, Fig. 11, pressed together and then inserted in a cutting machine of a well known type, whereby in one stroke of the blades of the machine the individual combined strips are obtained.

The long combined strip thus prepared is now inserted in an apparatus which is capable of detaching successively the individual labels from the long strip along the weakened, in particular For this purpose conveniently Well known apparatuses may be used which are developed for detaching postal stamps from rolls and aiiixing. them, ewg., toflletters. The long strip provided in any of the ways described above `is coiled and then inserteddn such ani'apparatus `which has to be adapted'o'nlyto the dimensions of the labels and the coil. One may also adjust thesize of the labels and thedistance of the weakened lines from each other' so thatstandard stamp aiiixers can be used.

Fig. `12 shows schematically-such an apparatus. A combined strip'35is positioned' onI an axis 36 andthe rst label31 positioned..byvhand under the aiiixing head 38. Theglue I4 on the lower side of the strip 31 is passed alonga moistening pad 39, whereby the label -is prepared for` being pasted onto an article vl positioned under the aixer. Now the head'i` is'moved down in the direction of the arrow 4l)V bylmeansl of a handle 4l; the coil 35 and the `strip to `which the label `31 still adheres are simultaneously moved inthe direction of the arrow 42, but only for a distance shorter than that tobe passed by the head 38 before depositing thealabel 31 `on the article I0, so that ultimately the label 31 is detached along'the weakened, preferably perforated line fromf the strip of the coil 35 and then pressed upon the article I0. The glue on the lower side of the label 31 has beenrmoistened `just before by the pad 39, so that the label 31.is firmly afxed to the article l0. If the lower side of the combined'strip 35,1is Snot provided with glue, it could be applied by the pad 39 which in such case is fed with a suitable fluid glue. It is understood that there may be providedcutting means and other details of an aflixer, such as a tank with water for continuously moistening the pad 39, which are not shown, in order to simplify this description. Reference may be made to U. S. Patent 1,216,363, where a stamp aflixer is described whioh can be conveniently used for the purposes of the invention.

It is to be understood that the invention is by no means restricted to any of the particular features described above by way of example only, and is to be derived in its broadest aspect from the appended claims.

It will be appreciated from the above that, according to this invention, a very eflicient method of labeling articles is presented. The type plates or equivalent parts of a printing machine can be set to print a single sheet as well as a large number of them. If the labels are intended for weekly magazines, there will be printed at least fty-two or more sheets from a type plate. If the labels are intended for a daily paper, there will be printed three-hundred-and-seventy or more sheets from thel same plate. Nevertheless, one label will equal the other as to clearness of its content and appearance, which could never be obtained by the usual multiplying methods. Also in case of small numbers of sheets, or even single sheets to be prepared in the way described above, the printing process will be preferable to any other, because it is a fast process which delivers clearly legible contents of attractive appearance. Thus, e. g., each content, such as address, can be conveniently provided with a surrounding border or other decoration, viz., each address may be enclosed in a rectangle. Furthermore, it will be appreciated from the above that the formation of strips and coils to be inserted in a stamp aiiixer is easy and simple and can eliciently be performed. Finally, detaching and afxing of the labels, in particular to the articles to be labeled, aiiords a known apparatus available on the market at relatively low price,

'particular skill.

and the handling thereof does not require any Thus, the individual labels can be quickly and safely detached from the strip and aflixed to the article, and mistakes, e. g., in the postal delivery, are excluded by the clearness, permanence and extraordinary legibility of the addresses.

What I claim is:

1. A method of producing a supply of a multitube of labels for labeling articles, such `as letters, printed matter and packages, said labels being substantially of equal size but presenting different contents, such as addresses, the step of producing a supply substantially consisting of a strip composed of a multitude of Said labels in a continuous row ready for individual detaching and labeling, said step comprising preparing of printing said label contents by setting them in a printing machine in several juxtaposed rows running in one direction, each row comprising several label contents in juxtaposition, printing said set label contents upon a sheet having an exposed surface exceeding the total of said rows, thereby leaving free a projection at one end of said sheet, said sheet being weakened along equi- A distant lines substantially vertical to the direction of said rows, said lines disposed so as to run between juxtaposed printed label contents and also between the outermost of them and said projecting front end, thereupon dividing said printed sheet into strips between said rows, then connecting said strips in series substantially by means ci said projections, thereby forming a longer combined strip composed of a multitude of printed labels of diiierent contents easily detachable along said weakened lines.

2. A method of producing a supply of a multitude of labels for labeling articles, such as letters, printed matter and packages, said labels being substantially of equal size but presenting different contents, such as addresses, comprising the steps of providing a substantially rectangular sheet being weakened in one direction along equidistant lines, with a plurality of said label contents arranged in several juxtaposed rows running across said direction, each row comprising several such label contents in juxtaposition and separated by a weakened line portion of said sheet, dividing said sheet provided with said label contents between said rows into strips, and

connecting said strips in seri-es, thereby forming a longer combined strip containing said label contents in a continuous row between equi-distant weakened lines ready for individual detaching and labeling.

3. A method of producing a supply of a multitude of labels for labeling articles, such as letters, printed matter and packages, said labels being substantially of equal and rectangular size,

lbut presenting diierent contents, such as addresses, comprising the steps of providing by printing pluralities of said label contents on the upper surface of several substantially rectangular sheets, said label contents being arranged on each sheet in several juxtaposed rows substantially parallel to a side of said sheet, each row comprising several label contents in juxtaposition, said sheets provided with cement, such as glue, on their lower surfaces and being perforated along equi-distant lines across said rows,

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one end of each row lying substantially flush with an edge of one of said sheets and the other end being spaced from the adjacent edge of said sheet, thus leaving free an end of the latter to form a projection, dividing, as exemplified by cutting, each thus printed sheet between said rows into strips each comprising a portion of said projection, connecting said strips resulting from several sheets in series by cementing said portion of a strip to the lower side at the beginning of another strip, thereby forming a long combined strip containing the desired multitude of said label contents in juxtaposition between equi-distant perforated lines ready for individual detaching and cementing upon said article.

4. A method of producing a supply of a multitude of labels for labeling articles, such as letters, printed matter and packages, said labels being substantially of equal and rectangular size but presenting diiTerent contents, such as addresses, comprising the steps of providing by printing in juxtaposed rows a plurality of said label contents on a considerably larger substantially rectangular sheet, thereby leaving free a projection at one end of said sheet, weakening said thus printed sheet across said rows along lines running between said printed label contents, dividing said printed sheet between juxtaposed rows along lines crossing said weakening lines into strips, connecting in series such strips by means of said projections, thereby forming a longer combined strip containing said printed label contents between equi-distant weakened lines ready for individual detaching along a weakened line.

5. Method of producing a. supply of a multitude of labels, for labeling articles, such as letters, printed matter and packages, said labels being substantially of equal size but presenting different contents, such as addresses, comprising the steps of providing by printing in juxtaposed rows a plurality of said label contents on considerably larger sheets, thereby leaving free a projection at one end of each sheet, 'said sheet provided with weakening lines, as exemplied by perforations, across said rows between the juxtaposed label contents and between the outermost label content and said projection, combining said sheets into a larger combined sheet by attaching one of said projections to another sheet, folding the combined sheet thus obtained l into a stack, cutting said stack between said juxtaposed rows, thereby obtaining strips composed of a row each of all said combined sheets and provided at one end with a portion of said projection, and connecting the strips thus obtained into a larger strip by attaching one of said portions to a following strip, thereby obtaining the desired supply of a multitude of label contents in a continuous row separated by said weakened lines and ready for detaching along said latter lines.

PHILIP GROSSMAN. 

